Actually, it is his first time here – so no real return…just sounded good with ‘Mack’.

MackQuigley is an unknown figure, whereas the Holy Prophet Muhammad (saw), is very well known.

In fact many people have adopted the way of the Prophet than Mack Quigley could even care to count. More and more people are seeing past the fog of lies and distortions that some of the right-wing media and right-wing religious evangelists like Mack are creating daily, and have been doing so since the Prophet (saw) was sent to mankind – that’s right – mankind – because he is not a Prophet for the Muslims only. Rather, he is the stalwart of Tauhīd (Unity of God) who is re-establishing the Abrahamic tradition for the followers of all true Monotheists – be they Muslim, Christian, Hindu, Jewish, Bhuddist, or others.

This may confuse someone of Mack’s evangelical disposition because, judging from the content of his online presence, I doubt he is used to scholarly dialogue.

In fact, in his review of quite a few Muslim and some non-Muslim blogs, he hardly makes a cogent academic, or even quasi-historically accurate remark… Read the rest of this entry »

We all know that January is the first month of the Year – this may be true for the Christians and for all who follow the Gregorian calendar. Muslims, on the other hand, recognize and use the Gregorian calendar dated from the year, according to some Christians, of the birth of Sayyiduna ‘Isa (as), but do not recognize its validity for any purpose. Muslims, and others who follow their own calendars use it to avoid any confusion and to remain somewhat ‘convenient’.

It is highly important that Muslims do not forget altogether that we have our very own and very distinct Islamic Calendar based on the lunar cycle – as opposed to the Gregorian calendar which is based on the Solar calendar. There are many reasons why we should not forget the importance of the Islamic Calendar. For example, many of the faraa-id (obligations) are tied to the Islamic months – if we do not track the months, therefore, we will not complete these obligations. And our practice of Islam will be under threat. It is this, with which we measure the Islamic months and our obligations that are derived with certain times throughout the year.

Another example of the importance of the Islamic months comes in the form of the 5th and sanctimonious month of dhu-al-Hajj, which all Muslims recognize as the month in which muslims perform the holy pilgrimage to the House of Allah. Hajj cannot be performed in any other month.

Similarly, the obligation of the fasts of Ramadan are tied with sighting the waxing crescent of the moon of the month of Sha’ban and the new crescent of the month of Ramadan. If we miss either, then our Ramadan will be incomplete. More relevant for our purposes now, is the fact that this month, the month of Rabīʿ al-Awwal, is the month that was written in history as the month of the birth of the Mercy, the Holy Prophet, the Chosen One, that Great Messenger, Muḥammad ibn Abdullāh, al-Muṣṭafā, ṣalla-Allāhu ʿalayhi wa sallam…

Kirklees’ Muslim Community needs to reassess its leadership…

In Huddersfield the Kirklees’ Muslim Action Committee, claiming to represent 15,000 Muslims, is deeply upset at a Muslim group that held an Exhibition on the Holy Qur’ān (see Newspaper report HERE).

Surprisingly, the spokesman of the Action Committee, Mr. Amar Usman Ali, is reported to have said:

“We believe that it is time the Muslims of Huddersfield did not allow a local group to use our name to hold any future exhibitions, and have been hurt and deeply upset over the lack of consultation with the Muslim community prior to holding this event.”

The Qur’ān Exhibition held in Huddersfield Town Hall was attendede by the Mayor of Kirklees and a Member of Parliament. Notably, Mr. Ali’s statement seems highly irrelevant and shows an immense lack of maturity… Read the rest of this entry »

Muḥarram 1433 Ḥijrī – The Islamic New Year and the Fasts of the Day of ʿĀshūra

The ending of the month of Dhū’l-Ḥijja marks the sighting of the new moon of the month of Muḥarram al-Ḥarām – the first month of the Islamic New Year and one of the four sacred months. Thus, also begins the 1433rd year after the Ḥijra of our Noble Prophet (saw) – a remarkable event that changed the course of history generally, and Islam especially.

Four months were ordained as sacrosanct in Islam in order to establish safety of passage for pilgrims during their Ḥajj. The four months consist of two months prior to Dhū’l-Ḥijja, the month of Dhū’l-Ḥijja and the month of Muḥarram, following the Ḥajj.

It is common that many people celebrate the general New Year with prayers and voluntary devotional practices, and it is thus noteworthy that the Islamic New Year should be ushered in with even more fervent prayers and voluntary devotional practices such as the giving of ṣadaqa, etc. It marks the anniversary of the migration of the Holy Prophet (saw) from Makka to Madīna and as such marks the greatest event that sparked a revolution in the Arabian peninsula which was to shape the course of Islam for the future. The importance of the Hijra is immense and one that must be remembered and revived in the hearts of Muslims.

This month, whose very name indicates a warning or a prophecy in the ultimate eternal knowledge of Allāh, according to Ḥaḍrat Khalīfatul Masīḥ al-Rābiʿ (rḥ), has much significance for all Muslims. Although it is commonly known for the grieving practices of the Shīʿa – and although their practices may have reached one extreme, the significance of the month should not be affected by this amongst those Muslims who revere and love the family of the Holy Prophet (saw) as they are obligated to do.

Having read and re-read some of Hadrat Mirza Ghulam Ahmad al-Qadiani’s (peace be upon him عليه السلام) works recently with a serious eye and with a host of prayers for a deeper understanding of them, I will be starting a new series of posts in which I will translate and post quotes, wisdom, and poignant words of advice from the writings and discourses of the Imam Mahdi, the Mujaddid of the 14th century of the Hijri (Islamic) calendar and the second advent of the Messiah as awaited by the followers of many revealed religions.I pray that they are beneficial for readers and that Allah (سبحانه و تعالى Glorified be He, the High) pentrates our hearts and minds and imbibes us with the colour and spirit of his chosen people.*Please note that these translations are not official translations of the works of Hadrat Mirza Ghulam Ahmad al-Qadiani (peace be upon him عليه السلام), but are my own personal efforts at translating the arabic and urdu works. Readers should refer to the original for an accurate and untainted version – which I shall endeavour to put alongside any translation.For the Original Arabic Works please go to http://www.islamahmadiyya.netFor the Original Urdu Works please go to http://www.alislam.org and then to Library – Books – Urdu Books

Along with all the talk of Islam undergoing or needing reform or a re-reading of the texts from every edifice of the internet all the way to Turkey, There are some unnecessary points being made, and also some vital points being missed.

Take, for example, the recent project undertaken by Zia-uddin Sardar through which he ‘asks’ some questions and invites answers from those who claim to be in the know, as well as offering his own admittedly ‘academic’ opinion.

This received commendations and standing ovations from advocates of ‘modern islam’ or ‘moderate islam’ from all over the world. However, it also received, and continues to receive intense criticism from the Muslim intelligentia, and those who advcoate a ‘traditional route to analysing the texts’ only by those who are well versed with the texts themselves and their relative interpretative methodologies.

I have to say although I complement Zia-Uddin Sardar on his stance in defence of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community in face of the persecution and vitriolic abuse that Ahmadi Muslims suffer from certain elements of the Islamic Community, I must disagree with him and Madeleine Bunting on their approach of “interpreting the Qur’an” purely with their thoughts and intellect and without recourse to the classical methodologies which are necessary pre-requisites for the understanding and exposition of the Qur’anic verities and subtleties.

In the aftermath of the media-frenzy over the comments made by the Archbishop of Canterbury about the possible inclusion of certain aspect of the Shari’ah or the Islamic Law into English Law, it was observed by many commentators and academics that the media had, for the most of it, been totally ignorant of the concept, definition, remit and application of the Shari’ah.

I was at the lecture given by Dr. Williams, which, contrary to my earlier post on this topic was at the Royal Courts of Justice.

As a British Muslim, and one who has had some significant exposure to Islamic Law and Islamic Jurisprudence, as well as training as a Barrister in English Law, I found myself interestingly placed to receive the enlightening lecture and the interesting points made by the Archbishop.

Unfortunately, however, I feel that those who have called for the resignation of the Archbishop and also those that have read the transcript of the Lecture and yet assume that he called for the inclusion of the complete Shari‘ah within the English Legal System, have totally missed the purport of his Lecture.

In an articleon the TimesOnline Website, Ian Edge and Robin Griffiths-Jones ask the question as to whether Islamic Law and English Law can ever meet, and if so, would English Law be able to accommodate the ‘extravagancies’ of the former!!